This is a continuation of the story about Bertie Wooster and his adventures at a French hotel. Bertie had just recovered Aunt Agatha's stolen pearls from Miss Hemmingway, who was revealed to be a thief with a brother known as Soapy Sid. Bertie had cleverly uncovered the truth by pulling out the pearls from his pocket and showing them to Aunt Agatha, who was shocked and embarrassed. Aunt Agatha was forced to admit that she had been careless in leaving her valuables unattended, and that Miss Hemmingway had indeed stolen the pearls. The hotel manager, Wilfred the Whisker King, was also involved in the scandal, but Bertie managed to expose him as well. As a result of the scandal, Aunt Agatha was forced to recompense Miss Hemmingway for her troubles, and she was also told to leave the hotel by the manager. The chambermaid who had been accused of stealing the pearls was given a crisp tenner by the manager, and Bertie was left feeling triumphant. Bertie then returned to his suite, where he was greeted by Jeeves, his loyal valet. Bertie was still wearing the cummerbund that Aunt Agatha had given him earlier in the story, but he decided to give it up as a symbol of his newfound independence and confidence. He handed the cummerbund over to Jeeves, who took it away with a smile. The story ends with Bertie feeling satisfied with himself for having solved the mystery and exposed the truth, and Jeeves looking on with approval.
By P. G. Wodehouse · First published 1902 · Genre: Humor, Fiction, Classic Literature